Northwest Services.

Off To Walk They Go

The middle of January seems like the perfect time to curl up in a comfy chair with a cup of hot chocolate. But for hundreds of seniors, it's time to walk.

"With this weather it's very hard to get going," said Joan Nickolauson of Cary. The 67-year-old, who started walking three miles, three times a week last summer, found herself thwarted by both the holidays and the heavy snows of the last few weeks.

"It's time I got started again," she said,

In warmer months, Roy Erickson, 75, gets plenty of exercise with the Wheeling Wheelmen, a bicycle riding club in Wheeling. But in cold weather he gets antsy, and walking his dog, Muf-Itt, three times a day isn't enough.

"I try to do a mile each time, but in this weather we go two blocks and she wants to turn around," said Erickson, also of Barrington. "That's why I want to get walking."

Both were hoping a lecture by walking expert Rob Sweetgall would motivate them to walk more. Sweetgall addressed seniors at the Barrington Area Library last week as part of a program sponsored by Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

"You don't have to walk every day, just the days you eat," Sweetgall said to chuckles from the audience of about 40 seniors.

Sweetgall, 51, once spent a year walking through the 50 states. Now he travels the country promoting walking, especially for seniors. He told them walking is easy.

"Park on the far side of the parking lot at the mall rather than circling like a shark for half an hour," Sweetgall said, as an example.

For the last several years, seniors across the suburbs have climbed on the bandwagon of walking for exercise. Whether it is to maintain good health or promote longevity, walking is the best exercise for seniors, say aging and walking experts.

It's a trend that sees little sign of slowing down.

"It grows by about 20, 25 percent a year," said Janine Starcevich, a registered dietitian and coordinator for Arlington Heights-based Northwest Community Hospital's Healthy Aging program.

"There's a host of stories about people who started walking and how their health situations dramatically changed," Starcevich said. People with arthritis, diabetes and heart disease can benefit the most.

Northwest Community Hospital is a co-sponsor of three walking clubs around the suburbs, with a total membership of about 3,100, she said. The programs are Walk Woodfield at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg; MallWalkers Club at Randhurst Shopping Center in Mount Prospect; and the Walkers Club at the Arlington Heights Senior Center, 1801 Central Rd.

As a precaution, people over 40 should consult a physician before starting an exercise regimen if they have high blood pressure or other cardiovascular conditions, Starcevich said.

Shoes don't have to be expensive, but should have a wide base to cushion shocks, and have a firm heel but a flexible toe, she said.

To start out, just walk 10 minutes a day, every day for a week. Then in the next week, walk 12 minutes a day, Starcevich said. Add two or three more minutes per day each week after that.

Just walking 17 more minutes a day can increase health and longevity and help you lose a pound a month, Sweetgall said.

With his lanky, boyish grin and weathered face, he quickly had the seniors out of their chairs doing pelvic tilts and other stretching exercises. "I want you to think of these as lifestyle habits," he said.

And it doesn't matter how slow you go, he said. "Low-intensity activity is very good for your health."

Don't walk on ice, he warned, adding that a broken hip doesn't do anyone any good. And if you must walk outside in winter, walk in snow so that if you fall, you will be cushioned, he said.

Sweetgall advised treadmills for those who can afford them. But he noted they can be pricey, costing about $1,000 for a "decent" treadmill or $3,000 to $6,000 for motorized machines.

He also advised against walking while carrying weights.

"You never want to put weights on limbs," he said, "They put excessive pressure on the lower back and cause soft tissue tears."

For variety, try climbing stairs. "A 15-minute stair climb equals at least a mile of walking--it's as good as a brisk walk," Sweetgall said.

The goal is to walk about an hour a day, Sweetgall said. "You are doing sensible things that treat the body with respect."